Biden Commutes Some Prisoners Sentences On Federal Death Row

By
Rachel Stevenson
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Well, here we are again with another sweeping move from President Joe Biden, and this one’s a doozy: commuting the sentences of nearly all federal death row inmates. Yep, you read that right. Thirty-seven individuals who were previously scheduled for federal execution will now spend the rest of their lives in prison with no chance of parole. Biden says this is about justice and moral conviction. But to many of us, it looks like yet another attempt to grandstand on criminal justice reform while undermining the justice system itself.

Let’s be clear—this is no minor policy adjustment. The federal death penalty isn’t something applied willy-nilly. It’s reserved for the absolute worst of the worst: mass murderers, terrorists, and others who commit atrocities that shock the nation. And while Biden decided to keep a handful of the most notorious names—like Robert Bowers, Dylann Roof, and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev—on death row, the rest are apparently getting a pass. Their sentences have been conveniently downgraded to life without parole, all in the name of preventing the incoming Trump administration from resuming executions.

It’s a bold move, sure. But it raises some uncomfortable questions. Since when does one president preemptively kneecap another’s ability to enforce the law? Biden’s framing this as a moral stand against capital punishment, yet it reeks of political maneuvering. By commutating these sentences now, he’s effectively tying his successor’s hands, ensuring that no matter who takes the White House in 2025, those executions won’t happen.

Biden’s argument is steeped in emotion and personal conviction. He cited his long career as a public defender, his tenure as Senate Judiciary chairman, and his general disdain for the death penalty. But moral opposition doesn’t negate the fact that these individuals were tried, convicted, and sentenced under the law. And let’s not forget: these weren’t cases of petty theft or drug possession. These were heinous crimes that devastated families and communities, crimes that the justice system deemed deserving of the ultimate punishment.

And then there’s the cherry on top: Biden’s broader “criminal justice reform” record. His administration boasts about clemency actions, including 1,500 sentence commutations for individuals on home confinement during the pandemic and a host of pardons for nonviolent offenses. And, of course, there’s the widely publicized categorical pardon for marijuana possession convictions and LGBTQI+ service members targeted under outdated policies. Biden’s team paints this as groundbreaking progress. Critics, however, might call it a way to pad his legacy with flashy headlines while sidestepping the tougher questions about real accountability.

Look, no one relishes the idea of executions. It’s a somber and serious undertaking. But justice must also be about consequences. If we’re going to let every president rewrite the rulebook based on personal beliefs, what’s the point of a consistent legal system? Biden’s actions send a message all right—that no matter how monstrous the crime, the punishment is negotiable if it fits a particular political narrative.

So, what happens next? For the victims’ families, Biden’s decision feels like a slap in the face. For his critics, it’s another example of soft-on-crime policies that prioritize optics over justice. And for the rest of us? We’re left wondering how many more pillars of the justice system will be toppled in the name of reform.

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